CHILDREN’S BOOK
A Lion’s Heart
A Lion’s Heart is the story of a circus lion named Michael who has forgotten his wildness and awakens to return to his true nature.
MEMOIR
Untouched and Untaken
Untouched and Untaken is about a woman’s journey to overcome a legacy of abandonment, becoming the mother her daughter desperately needs.
When Naya James is twelve years old, her own mother kicks her out of the house in a borderline rage. Living with her dad and stepmom is a time of calm, but also, loneliness. She finds peace in nature and by embodying the traits of the woodland creatures she reveres.
As the raven, Naya escapes her mother’s ocean of sadness by leaving college early. She traverses the West and Hawaii, confronting the dualities inherent in activism, spiritual cults, and wild love. Her journey ends abruptly when an accident brings her down to Earth. Naya meets and marries a dark, persuasive man who gives her a beloved daughter. But the marriage quickly unravels. As the wolf, she fights to build stability as a single mother in Los Angeles by modeling, trading, and starting her own business. She tests the limits of her willingness to exchange feminine prowess for success. Naya loses her footing and falls prey to alcoholism and despair.
As the bear, she gets sober and softer, partnering with a loving man and having another child. But when her daughter recovers traumatic memories of her own, she faces the ultimate test: Can she transcend her past to be the mother she never had? A love story between mother and daughter, and a probe into the nature of self, Untouched and Untaken is a story of survival, seeking, healing, and courage.
Praise for UNTOUCHED & UNTAKEN
“It is with ease and pleasure that I recommend this deeply and personal memoir UNTOUCHED AND UNTAKEN by Naya Elle James. I felt as though I was dropped directly into her life, as though I was living it with her. Her story is told with remarkable clarity, expressing the heartache of young love, a difficult childhood and a painful marriage. And finally, she must face the unforeseen trauma of her daughter’s abuse. We accompany her through the world as she searches for answers and eventually the reader is witness to an unapologetic and extraordinary healing in her heartfelt and compelling journey. I wanted to read the book in one gulp, instead I spaced it out so I could savor it.”
– Patti Hawn, Author, GOOD GIRLS DON’T
“Compelling. Captivating. Spellbinding. Once I picked up Untouched and Untaken, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Untouched and Untaken is an odyssey into the challenges Naya James suffered and rose above with grace, strength, and courage. And I was along for the ride.
Her voice echoed in my head as she transformed from a young girl with innocence taken to a powerful and fierce protector of her family. Her creativity, resilience, and determination are inspiring. She demonstrates all that is possible with the human spirit. As I turned the final page, I was left wanting more, and somehow, I think Naya James has more story to tell.
Having worked with thousands of emerging talents over my career, including artists, executives, and business owners to facilitate the discovery of their inner treasures and talents, trust me! Naya Elle James is an emerging talent to watch.”
– Jackie Nagel, Strategist and Writer
“UNTOUCHED AND UNTAKEN is a bold and courageous gift to the world. Like Bryce Courtenay’s The Power of One, or Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, we bear witness to the resilience and power of the human spirit, and the deep well of life blood that chooses survival over decay even as one travels through the valley of death, not only her own but also her daughter’s. From Raven to Wolf to Bear, we shapeshift with Naya Elle James and seep into her skin and taste the sweet mountain dew of a cave in Hawaii, the heart connection of first love on trails in Colorado, and sometimes sadly the abandonment of self in bedrooms and parked cars of her youth. I found myself time and time again wanting to reach inside the book and save her, but know that work is for her and her alone.
This book, I strongly believe, can shed light on the dark places of the human condition and then in turn inspire us to live with purpose and never forget why we are born. To love wildly, to dance beneath the moon, and to explore everything.”
– Michael Thyer, Director-Writer-Actor
“I just read Naya James’ memoir, Untouched and Untaken . . . today. It consumed my day, and made my day. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability, your learnings, your sheddings and your growth. I left wanting more. More of her spirit, put into words that were both relatable and felt from a distance. It is sometimes referred to as the human spirit, and when seen in Naya’s Raven, Wolf, and Bear archetypes that mark her journey, animal spirit, but to me, it is all spirit. The need and longing for connection to the self, and to the world around. We fill ourselves with experiences and distractions, longing to find the contentment and ease to carry ourselves along on the journey.
This book exemplifies that the spirit is powerful and fluid, and while you don’t always control your outcome, you can control your effort, actions and attitude around it. A hero’s journey of overcoming hardship, I finished this book feeling both inspired and sympathetic to the human condition.”
– Lane Jaffe, Yoga Teacher
NOVELLAS
The Big Bang
By Naya Elle James and Mick Thyer
The Big Bang is an imagined love story between cosmologist Carl Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan as they created the Golden Record in 1977.
A gifted scientist and an idyllic artist are paired together to create a record of Earth’s existence that will be sent into the furthest reaches of the galaxy as a welcome to extraterrestrial life, known as The Golden Record. As they travel the world to collect sounds from indigenous tribes and images of sacred places, their inevitable connection disturbs the structures that anchor them to earth.
Fun fact: The Big Bang will be released as a narrative podcast in the summer of 2022.
Here I Stand
By Naya Elle James and Mick Thyer
Here I Stand is a love story about fate and impossible choice.
An expat returns home to Australia for his best friend’s wedding only to be captivated by the spirited and untamed maid of honor. As luck would have it they are both engaged to others and are faced with the impossible decision to stay or go. The decision has already been made by the universe – it’s up to the lovers to catch up.
Fun fact: Here I Stand, the love story of Sam and Sara, is the founding story of Samansara Media.
